AoW 1.19.

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1. Mark your confusion. 2. Show evidence of a close reading on the page. 3. Write a one-page reflection in your WN Sugar Overload: Curbing Americas Sweet Tooth Source: Bonnie Liebman /Nutrition Action/ January/February 2010
Here are some excerpts from an article about the amount of sugar Americans consume: Between 1970 and 2005, our intake of added sugarscane and beet sugar, highfrutose corn syrup, dextrose, and other sweetenersjumped 20 percent. We now consume 22 to 30 teaspoons daily. Thats 350-475 empty calories that most people cant afford. A growing body of research suggests that added sugars or sugar-sweetened beverages boost the risk of disease. Sugars contribute to obesity, which in turn increases the risk of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. A new report from the heart association urges Americans to slash their sugar intakes. The new targets: only 100 calories a day of added sugars for women and 150 calories for men. Thats not much. More on this later. Ten reasons to cut back on sugars: 1. You cant afford the empty calories. Most people cannot afford a 600-calorie venti Whit Chocolate Mocha from Starbucks. Added sugars either crowd out healthy foods, or they make you fat if you eat them in addition to healthy foods, says a Harvard professor of cardiovascular disease prevention. 2. Sugar-sweetened beverages promote obesity. Were 20% more added sugars than we did in the 1970s. Why? Soft drinks, soft drinks, soft drinksthe number one source of sugars in American diets. 3. Sugar-sweetened drinks may raise the risk of heart disease. In one study, people who drank at least one soda a day had a 44% higher chance of developing problems with their metabolism. 4. Frutose raises triglcerides. Numerous studies show that people who consume a lot of fructose have much higher levels of triglicerides. Higher triglicerides in the blood significantly raises the chances of heart attacks. 5. Sugar-sweetened beverages may promote diabetes. One study found that women who drank one soda a day were at a 83% higher chance of contracting diabetes. 6. Frutose may boost visceral fat. Visceral fat is fat found deep in the abdominal area, thus increasing the chances of heart disease and diabetes. 7. Frutose may raise the risk of gout. Gout (excess acid that ends up in your joints) hurts. Frutose increases uric acid; uric acid causes gout. 8. Frutose may promote over-eating. There is evidence that high levels of fructose in your system may interfere with your brains ability to tell your body when you are full. The result? You keep eating. 9. Minimalizing added sugars helps you control your blood pressure. There is a possibility that sugar raises blood pressure. It is clear that any diet designed to lower blood pressure should steer clear of added sugars. 10. Most sugary foods are junk. Coke. Donuts. Cinnabon. Butterfingers. All these foods are high in sugars and low in nutrients. The heart association recommends that women should only add 6.5 teaspoons of sugar a day and that men only add 9.5 teaspoons. Thats not much. See the chart on the back side of this paper to gauge how teaspoons of sugar you eat in a day.